The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-24
| An INDULGENT HUSBAND
ANALYZED BY A CROSS BILL In
THE CIRCUIT COURT.
How lie Rewarded a Lady Who
Became san Old Mans
Darling"

In the merry spring time season OF
the year, when the flowers bloom, ira
la, and the birds begin 10 chirp and
fit from branch t. branch OF budding
trees, the divorce mill grinds under
heavy pressure. Then II is that mari
tai miseries crop out, and the souls OF
the legal fraternity leap with Joy.
Two or three weeks ago O. G. Marden,
q gentleman about sixty years OF age,
f ed in the Circuit Court q petition for
divorce from his young wife, whom he
married in this county in 1888. The
causes alleged to have operated to
create this desire on his part were
sdulter yand desertion.
Yesterday Mrs. Marden, through her
solicitor, B. B. Barnes, filed in the Cir.
cult Count her answer and Cross bill.
Wishing to have public and thor.
ough investigation, the case is to be
tried before jury, the first OF the
kind en- record in that court. She
opens up on the old gentleman by de.
nying every material allegation in the
bill except the painful fIct OF their
marriage. 1t Is also asserted that he
has acknowledged that he knew moth
ing Of the charge of adultery in the
origiba| bill until after II was filed, or
he would not have sworn to it. When
1t became known to her she vent after
him in furious state of mind and
made him retraCt 1t on The public
streets.
Respondent then proceeds to venti.
laN -. hA I'll
strain: He wooed and won her by
deceit. To Offset the frightful dis.
Crepancy In their sges he pretended 10
be a man of wealth and property ard
gaily Haunted before her yes the bank
book, deeds and other gilt edged bait.
He boosted that he had sufficient Of
worldly goods to build her fine house
and to supply all her wants, and that
he would make her happy young
wife to an old but indulgent husband.
Upon these representation and after
getting the consent OF her mother the
defendant covenanted TO marry him,
stating, however, that che did not love
him, but would make him true and
dutiful wife; and complainant and de-
fsndant were married in 1883 in Shelby
county, where defendant hiss lived
ever since. The cross bill also
states that after the marriage,
their honeymoon and the
six months they lived together, II was
in single room scantiy furnished;
that he barely provided her with food
sufficient to keep her from starving;
sent from "hash house," that he
Imprisoned her in the room, forbid
her to walk out and gave her no
money or clothing. The cross bill
further alleges that Mr.. Marden be.
came a drunkard, locked her out OF
the room and would not let her re-
turn. His excuse for 30 doing was
that it cost him too much to support
wife. II complainant had been poor
and unable to furnish defendant with
tie necessariss OF life, she would have
borne privations with patience, but 10
tsntalizs htr he would show her his
bank book and brsg Of the large
amount he had in bank he would
chow her etc cbs and bonds and deed
OF plantation in Arkansas and lots in
Memphis; he would tell her he
was earning ~ per day as pattern
maker. Alter she had been driven
away from home by complainant, in
one Of his drunken fits, she returned
and nursed him when sick, and "Ihe
only thanks she received was that
when complainant was we'll enough 10
care for himself he told her that she
could go back to her mother, as he
could get along without her. The
cross bill further states that Marden is
worth not less than $4,000, out OF
which Mrs. Marden asks for ali
mony and expenses OF litigation, to
use the language OF the cross bill, to
male the old misery brute dis
gorge"